Orchard heater



L. C, HUFF ORCHARD HEATER June 24,, 1930.

Filed June 13, 192'? a In z n f0)": {yrrzzzn I Patented June 24, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LYMAN C. RUFF, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO UNIVERSAL OIL PRODUCTS COMPANY OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA ORCHARD HEATER Application filed June 18,

The present invention relates more particularly to an improved and novel type of orchard heater of the magazine self-feeding type particularly adapted to the burning 0 petroleum coke.

An orchard heater should be designed to eliminate as far as possible all radiation of heat into the atmosphere since radiant heat is considered lost and is not effective in heating the air as it passes through it into space. The heating must, therefore, be accomplished by convection, that is, by causing the air to pass over hot surfaces so shielded as to decrease or prevent radiation. It'should also be so designed that without refilling with fuel, it can be fired harder during the early morning hours when the greatest heat load is required.

These features are embodied in and constitute some of the advantages of the orchard heater of the present invention.

Some of the features of the present orchard heater comprise (1) the hot surfaces of the combustionchamber are shielded to prevent loss of radiant heat; (2) all heating is done by convection and by causing a flow of air to pass over the hot surfaces; (3) the magazine holds a supply of fuel which automatically gravitates into the combustion chamber as fast as the fuel therein is con sumed; by regulation of the means for sufiicient to open admitting a combustion supporting medium, such as air, the amount of combustion can be accurately regulated; (5) the heat load may be regulated by a simple mechanism,

and part1cularly in the early morning it is the draft and admit desired quantities of combustion supporting medium, such as air, to effect greater combustion.

Various fuels may be used in this heater, but as a feature of the invention, it is particularly designed for burning petroleum coke, including fines which has high heating value and almost negligible ash content.

1927. Serial No. 199,643.

Petroleum coke has proven to be a very ldesi'able fuel for use in a device of this Other advantages of my invention will on line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

I have illustrated in the drawing a type of orchard heater embodying the features of my invention, and it is understood that changes may be made in the mechanical structure without departing from the scope of the invention.

Referrin r more in detail to the drawing, the orchar heater comprises a magazine or supply chamber 1, which may be charged with fuel to be burned, such as coke, through manhole 2, which latter may be covered with removable cap 3 with which may be associated a controllable ventilator 4. The bottom of the magazine or supply chamber 1, which is tapered as shown at 5, may be connected through an inclined feed pipe 6 to the combustion chamber 7, which may comprise a vertically disposed conduit constructed of material resistant to corrosion and non-oxidizing, such as Duraloy, Askaloy, or the like. This conduit may have a diameter of 5 to 15 inches more or less. The lower portion thereof forms an ash-pit 8, being separated from the combustion chamber proper by a grate 9 which may" be supported by suitable means, such as a circular collar or lugs, illustrated. diagrammatically at 10, and over which may be positioned some refractory material 11, such as layers of balls or turnings, to protect the grate 9 from the intense heat of the burning fuel.

On the lower wall of the vertically disposed conduit 7, below the grate.9 and preferably adjacent the ash-pit 8, may be provided a manhole l2 closed by means of a movable cap with which is associated a controllable ventilator 13 through which air or other combustion supporting medium may be admitted in regulated quantities under the grate. The ashes produced by combustion also may be removed through this opening by manipulating the cap in an obvious manner The grate 9 may be of the shaking type or any other *suitable type.

It is to be noted that the feed pipe 6 opens into the combustion chamber above the grate 9 and at some distance thereabove.

Over the top of the open ended combustion conduit 7, and at some distance therefrom, may be positioned umbrella-like cap 14 which may be associated with the conduit 7 by any well known means which permits adjustable movement of the cap 14 relative to the stationary conduit 7.

In one mode of operation, the fuel feeds by gravity from the magazine 1 through the feed pipe 6 onto the grate 9 in the combustion conduiti'. The fuel is ignited and the combustion gases ascend through the combustion conduit 7 and through the space between the open end of said combustion conduit and the cap 14. The amount of combustio'n which takes place may be accurately regulated by the amount of air or other combustion supporting medium which is permitted to be introduced through ventilator 13, the draft being from the Ventilator 18 to the space below the cap 14. it is to be noted that when it isdesired to decrease combustion, or shut the fire down altogether, the cap 14 may be lowered to a position where it fits flush with the upper end of the conduit 7, the ventilator 13 being closed, resulting in closing the staclr.

That portion of the combustion conduit 7 which extends from the grate 9 upward may be surrounded with a shield 15 supported by suitable lugs 16, the object of this shield being to decrease or prevent radiation of the heat from the combustion chamber to the atmosphere and to localize the heating of" air around the combustion chamber 7. 'lhe air to be heated circulates between the outer wall of the combustion conduit 7 and the inner wall of the shield 15 in the annular space between these elements, the convection so set up causing eilicient heating of the air ascending in contact with the hotsurfaces of the combustion conduit 7.

Over the top of the shield 15 and at some distance therefrom, the chamber 7 may be provided with an external slidable sleeve 17 which may take the form of an umbrellalike baflie. The bafile 17 may be adjusted at any distance from the top of the shield 15. The heated air escaping from the top of the heating space is deflected by means of the baflle 17 out into the surrounding atmos phere, being thereby prevented from going straight upward and losing its effect in the orchard.

As a feature of the present invention, it, is to be noted. that the fuel supply chamber 1 is separated from the combustion chamber 7 and, in addition, it should be noted that the hot gases of combustion do not pass throu h the reserve supply of fuel, thus substantial y avoiding the distillation of unconsumed products of combustion in the form of smoke, soot, etc.

As the consumption of fuel proceeds during the operation, additional fuel will be supplied by gravity, and automatically, to the bed above the grate 9 from the chamber 1 through the supply pipe 6, it being obvious that the supply chamber 1 may be charged at suitable intervals,

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that once combustion is started, it proceeds with little care and attention, being very accurately controlled by means of the draft heretofore explained.

I claim as my invention:

1, An article of manufacture comprising a vertically disposed cylindrical tube of uniform diameter mounted on a fiat base, a grate near the bottom of said tube, a second. tube of larger diameter coaxial therewith and extending upward above said grate, a third straight cylindrical tubeof smaller diameter passing through said second tube terminating in the first tube and inclined upwardly therefrom and means for supporting the outer end of said inolined'tube from said base,

2. An orchard heater comprisin a straight vertical cylindrical tube of uniiorm diameter rate near the bottom thereof forming a combustion chamber t-hereabove and an ashpittherebelow, means for guiding an annular stream of air upward along the outer sides of said tube above the grate to'be heated by said chamber, means for deflectin this annular stream radially outwardly an then slightly downwardly to distribute it for heating an'orchard by convection,

3, An article of manufacture comprising a vertically disposed cylindrical tube of uni form diameter, a grate near the bottom of said tube, forming a combustion chamber thereabove and an ashpit thcrebelow, a shield of uniform diameter larger than the tube arranged coaxial therewith located ens tirely above said grate and extending ver tically beyond said combustion chamber, means for supporting said shield from said tube, an annular deflector secured to the outside of said tube above the top of said shield and extending outwardly from said tube.

t A ortable device forheatin orchards comprising in combination a vertical cylindrical stack of uniform diameter for con ended shield surrounding said stack and spaced therefrom to prevent radiation and direct an upward current of air warmed by passage therethrough, an adjustable deflector supported above the upper end of said shield and adapted to distribute said heated air currents in a generally'horizontal and downward direction from said deflector.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

LYMAN C. HUFF. 

